Inscription for a Tomb in England
The work is a poetic meditation on death and remembrance inscribed on a tomb. It addresses an unknown visitor, urging them to recognize that the loss mourned is accompanied not only by sorrow but also by an immortal legacy of love and joy. The verses convey that the departed provided more than a life now ended; their gift of spiritual cheer and heavenly affection continues to enrich the hearts of the living. It asserts that death, while a cause for grief, simultaneously offers a release from fear and a transition to an existence defined by eternal benevolence. The inscription transforms the act of mourning into one of celebration, suggesting that the emotional and spiritual wealth left behind transcends the mere presence of tears. In this way, the text reconciles the dichotomy of grief and gratitude, portraying the end of life as both a personal loss and a communal gain through the enduring influence of a beloved presence.
By Henry van Dyke · First published 1898 · Genre: Elegy, Poetry, Meditative · 70 words
First lines
Read here, O friend unknown, / Our grief, of her bereft; / Yet think not tears alone / Within our hearts are left.
The gifts she came to give, / Her heavenly love and cheer, / Have made us glad to live / And die without a fear.
1912.
What this Textopian page supports
Inscription for a Tomb in England is listed on Textopian as a poem by Henry van Dyke, dated 1898 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Henry van Dyke
- Date: 1898 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Elegy, Poetry, Meditative, Spiritual
- Length: 70 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
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- Work identity for Inscription for a Tomb in England by Henry van Dyke
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Elegy — The text commemorates and mourns the loss of a loved one through reflective verses, making it naturally aligned with the elegiac tradition.
- Poetry — Structured in verse with rhythmic and concise language, the work fits the conventions of poetry.
- Meditative — The inscription's contemplative nature on life, death, and remembrance invites philosophical reflection, characteristic of meditative literature.
- Spiritual — By referencing heavenly love and an acceptance of mortality, the text also carries spiritual overtones.
Tags
poetry · elegy · epitaph · mortality · solemnity · contemplation · reflection · loss · mourning · transience · historical · melancholy